My Son was just diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder

Lora - posted on 12/15/2010
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I am a mother of 3 I have a typical (but ADD) 15 yr old daughter, an 11 yr old son with Aspergers and we just recently found out our 7 yr old has an Auditory Processing Disorder. I am an early childhood educator and I work with typical as well as special needs children everyday for the past 20 yrs. But this is a new one on me. Anyone out there that has figured out the best way to help him comprehend things. I have a bad habit of being sarcastic, and he just doesn't get it and sometimes I say something and cause the frustrations and blow up and then feel guilty when it takes hrs to get him to move on... HELP??

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Joyce - posted on 12/29/2010

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My 12 year old son was diagnosed with CAPD when he was in second grade. So many of his behaviors suddenly made sense. It is important you get his attention before giving instructions. Then give instructions in pieces so he can comprehend each piece. We work with a private behavioral specialist and he has intervention specialists work with him at school. He is also on a low dose medication for his ADD. He is at an age now where he can determine if the medication is working and able to ask for help at school when he needs it. It does get frustrating when they appear not to be listening, but keep in mind, his brain is not processing all the information he is given. Best wishes for you and your family.

Hi Lora, I also just recently found out my son Shane (7 years old) has an APD, or Central ADP. I'm just beginning to navigate through the information on the net. www.bbbautism.com/auditory_processing_disorder.htp has the clearest basic information I've found. Patience and repitition, and using very careful word choice has been what's helped us so far. With this disorder you can't say to your child, "find your coat we're going to the store", why?.Because depending on what type of ADP your child has, he may just hear we're going to the store, or he may word associate and come back with gloves on but no coat, (coat and gloves both help to keep you warm). If your'e more specific, go get your coat and put it on, we're going to the store...then he may still hear only we're going to the store, or he may come back holding his coat in his hands and have a hat on his head, why? Because you said go get your coat and put "it" on. It could be anything. (ie. the hat) Do you really have to be so specific? Yes, and it takes lots of training and practice for everyone involved. So how do you communicate with a child who has this disorder? Begin with the child's name and get their attention. This is easiest if you get down eye level with them. Use an even toned voice, be very detailed and use a vivid description when you can to help them remember why they should do what you want them to do. For instance; I would say "Shane, we're about to go to the store. Shane it's very cold outside, it's so cold you can see your breath. Go into your bedroom, get your coat, and put your coat on. Now repeat back to me what I want you to do." This lets me see if he heard and understood what I said. It may seem like alot, but it's better than the give and take of the battle. There are also programs that I've just found that are supposed to help, (auditory trainers) earobics and fastforword are two of them. I'm going to begin them in January with Shane. Good luck and God Bless you and your family.........Shelley

my son takes speech/language therapy and OT therapy for his APD but my son also has tourettes syndrone, hes bipolar disorder, sid, adhd,ocd,odd,intermittent explosive disorder,pdd-nos-autism, his speech therapist is the one that found his.

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Lora - posted on 12/29/2010

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Julie, we went through our Pediatric behavior specialist. He was diagnosed through the pediatrician last spring with ADHD and we made the appointment with the PBS then. She did her whole FIE and came up with this specific diagnosis. Tammy, I am waiting to hear format he school as to whether his scores on the Language tests will qualify him for in school speech therapy, if not we will look at outside private speech therapy. The one thing about being a teacher I have the blessing of know people. I wish all parents of special needs kids had connections.

Thanks Shelly and Joyce. You are right so many of his behaviors and melt downs really started to make sense after the diagnosis. I am an early childhood educator so I knew things were off track, but i just couldn't put my finger on it. Thanks Shelly for the website. I will use it! and share it with others I work with and his teachers. I find that the hardest thing I find is teachers who don't know what it is and just expect the specialists to deal with it. I find that I become a problem for them because I don't give up and won't give in until they are educated. I am sure I have a red flag flying over my head every time I walk in the school. I don't care - I am a special needs teacher and I read up, study, learn all I can about my student's needs. So can they.! Thanks again ladies.